Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1887-05-21

hand and Capt. Niels horse in the other.
About 100 yards behind the horses a lady was
walking.
"Ah," said Bessie, they've caught the
horses, and here is jess come to see what is
the matter"
By this time the lady in question was quite
close, so that John was able to get a first i'm
preston of her. She was small and rather
thin, with quantities Of curling brown hair;
not by any means a lovely woman, as her sis
ter undoubtedly was, but possessing two very
remarkable characteristics-a complexion of
extraordinary and uniform pallor, and a pair
of the most beautiful dark eyes he had ever
looked on. Altogether, though her size was
almost insignificant, she was a striking look
ing person, with a face one vas not likely to
forget. Before he had time to observe any
more they were up to them.
what on earth is the matter, Bessie!" she
said, with a quick glance at her companion,
and speaking in low, full voice, with just a
slight South African accent, that is taking
enough in a pretty woman. Whereupon
Bessie. broke out with a history of their ad-
venture, appealing to her companion for con-
frmation at intervals.
Meanwhile her sister, jess, stood quite still
and silent, and it struck Capt. Mel that her
face was the most singularly impassive one
he had ever seen. 1t never changed, oven
when her sister told how the ostrich rolled on
her and nearly killed her, or how they finally
subdued the foe. "Dear me- he thought to
himself, "what a very remarkable woman!
She can't have much heart" But just as he
thought it the girl looked up, and then he
saw where the expression lay. 1t was in
those remarkable eyes. Impassive as her face
was, the dark eyes We're alight with life and a
sort of excitement that made them shine
gloriously. The contrast between the shining
eyes and the impassive face beneath them
struck him as so extraordinary as to be al
most uncanny; and, as a matter of fact, it
was doubtless both unusual and remarkable.
"You have had a wonderful escape, but l
am sorry for the bird" she said at last.
"Why" asked John.
Because we were great friends. was the
only person who could manage him."
EYES," put in Bessie, "the savage brute
would follow her about like a dog. 1t was
just the oldest thing l ever saw. But, come
on, we must DO getting home; it's growing
dark. MOUTH medicine)-addressing the
Kaffir i'll Zulu-"help Capt. Mel on to his
horse. Be careful that the saddle does not
twist round; the girths may he loose"
Thus adjured, John, with the help of tho
Zulu, clambered into his saddle, an example
that the lady quickly followed, and they once
more set off through the gathering darkness.
Presently he became aware that they were
passing upadrive bordereI by tall blue gums,
and next minute the barking of a large dog
and the sudden appearance Of lighted windows
told him that they had reached the house.
At the door-or, rather, opposite to it, for
there was a veranda in front-they stopped
and got Off their horses. As they did so. out
of the house there zane a shout of welcome.
and presently i'll the doorway, showing out
clear against the light, appeared II strik-
ing and, in its way, most pleasant figure.
He-for it was a man-was very tall, Or,
rather, he had been very tall. Now he was
much bent with age and rheumatism. His
long white hair hung low upon his neck, and
fell back from a prominent brow. The top
of the head was quite bald, like the tonsure of
a priest, and shone and glistened in the lamp
light, and round this oasis the thin white
locks fell down. The face was shrivcled like
the surface of a we'll kept apple, and, like On
apple, rosy red. The features were aquiline
and we'll marked, the eyebrows still black
and very bushy, and beneath them shone a
pair of gray eyes, as keen and bright Us
hawks. But for all its sharpness, there was
nothing unpleasant or fierce about the face.
On the contrary, it was pervaded by a re-
markable air Of good nature and s%hrewdness.
For all the rest, the man vase dressed in rough
tweed clothes, tall riding boots, and held a
broad briinmed Boer hunting hat in his
hand. Such was the outer man of old Silas
Croft, one OF the most remarkable men in tho
Transvaal, as John Mel first saw him.
kTc tlnf ~ Tt,,t N;n11y ,e..l -.
stentorian voice. "The natives said you were
see you-very glad. Why, what is the mat
ter with you" he went on as the Zulu Mouti
ran to help him off his horse.
matter, Mr.. Croft?" nswered John:
"why, the matter is that your f~avorite os-
trich has nearly killed me and your niece
here, and that l nave killed your favorite os-
trich."
Then followed explanations from Bessie,
during which he was helped off his horse and
into the house.
at serves me right" said the old man.
I think of it now, just to think of it!
Well, Bessie, my love, thank God that you
escaped-ay, and you, too, Capt. Mel. Here,
you boys, take the Scotch cart and a couple
of oxen, and 60 and fetch the brute home.
We may as well have the feathers off him, ut
any rate, before the aasvogels (vultures) tear
him to bits"
After be had washed himself and tended
his injuries with arnica and water, John man.
aged to get into the principal sitting room,
where supper was waiting. 1t was a very
pleasant room, furnished in European style,
and was carpeted with mats made of spring
buck skins. In the corner was a piano, and
by it a bookcase, filled with the works of
standard authors, the property, as John
rightly guessed, of Bessie's sister, Jess.
Supper went of pleasantly enough, and
after 1t was over the two girls sang and
played while the men smoked. And here a
fresh surprise awaited him, for after Bessie,
who had now apparently almost recovered
from her mauling, had played a piece Or W
creditably enough, Jess, who so far had been
nearly Silent, sat down to the piano. She did
not do this willingly, indeed, for it was not
until her patriarchal uncle had insisted in
his ringing, CHEEKY voice that she should
let Capt. Mel hear how she could sing
that she consented. But at last she did
consent, and then, after letting her fin
gers stray somewhat aimlessly along the
chords, she suddenly broke out into such song
as John Mel had never heard before. Her
voice, beautiful as it was, was not what is
known as a cultivated voice, and it was a
German song, and therefore he did not un-
derstand it, but there was no need of words
to translate its burden. Passion, despairing
yet hoping through its despair, echoed in its
every line, and love-unending love-hovered
over the glorious ~notes-nay, descended upon
them like a spirit and made them his. Up.
up rang her wild, sweet voice, thrilling his
nerves till They answered to the music as an